It’s hard to imagine what our menus would look like without Nancy Silverton. SoCal born and bred, Silverton dropped out of college in her senior year to pursue her dream: cooking. After a stint at Le Cordon Bleu in London in the 70s, she returned to California, taking up a job at Santa Monica gamechanger Michael’s, where California cuisine was pioneered by Michael McCarty, Silverton, and their alumni. Further training in Paris and a position as Wolfgang Puck’s pastry chef followed before Silverton and her then-husband opened Campanile and the adjoining La Brea Bakery in the late 1980s.
It seems strange now, but before La Brea Bakery, artisan bread was a rarity in the USA. Inspired by San Francisco bakery Acme, Silverton experimented with different techniques to create her now-famous sourdough. In 1991, she won the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Pastry Chef award. Since then, Silverton has opened a clutch of brilliant restaurants across Los Angeles, the best-loved of which is arguably Pizzeria Mozza. In 2021, she brought an outpost to Treehouse Hotel in Marylebone, London, and has since been inspired by the city’s thriving culinary scene. Here are her favorite dining spots in London.
The Pie Room at Holborn Dining Room, Holborn
“A part of the Holborn Dining Room, The Pie Room serves perfectly crafted pies with delicious fillings and perfect pastry. You walk up to the window and order a pie; if you’re lucky enough, you can sneak a peek at the pie-making daily selection of hand pies. As someone who loves antique kitchen equipment, the Pie Room has an amazing display of all of the molds they use in all different shapes and sizes. At night, it transforms into a beautiful private dining room.”
Who comes here?
“Hungry people who appreciate beautiful pastries.”
